Wall construction



J. w. LEIGH WALL CONSTRUCTION Fild Aprzl 2, 1924 ,ATTOBNEY Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES JESSE W. LEIGH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WALL CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed April 12, 1924. Serial No. 706,084.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn W. LEIGH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of 6 Missouri, United States of America, have invented a certain new and useful ,lVall Construction, of which the following is such a full, clear, and eXact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a wall construction and particularly to the construction of partition walls in which a foundation of fabric such as metal lathing is covered with cementitious material to form the wall.

One objectof my invention is to obviate the use of studding in walls of the class mentioned. Another object is to effectively stretch the fabric forming the foundation that the cementitious material may be practically applied to one side only of the fabric at a time, thus making unnecessary the usual and difiicult method of applying the material simultaneously on both sides of the wall at the same spot. I thus simplify and cheapen the construction both from point of material used and labor required to form 30 the Wall.

The above results I accomplish by running the foundation fabric in continuous strips from the top to the bottom of the wall; securing the fabric in continuous bond to top and bottom supports, which supports also preferably form grounds for the cementitious material; and tautly and uniformly stretching the fabric by increasing the distance between the supports after the fabric has been secured thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some forms of wall construction made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a completcd wall; Figure 2 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section; Figure 3 is a cross section of a wall before the fabric is stretched and the cementitious material applied, and also showing a slight modification in construction; and Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 1 but showing a double or hollow wall.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, 5 and 6 indicate the top and bottom supporting strips, respectively. These strips also form the grounds for determining the thickness of the wall. They may be made of any suitable material. but I prefer wood so that the trim '7, comprising base, moulding, etc., may

be nailed directly thereto. The grounds 5 and 6 are secured in place by bolts 8 provided with nuts 9 for drawing the grounds against the ceiling 10 and floor 11 to stretch the fabric, as will be hereinafter more fully described. In the drawings I have shown the bolts 8 as embedded in the concrete of the floor and ceiling. It will be understood, however, that they may be held in any suitable manner.

The foundation fabric 12, which is prefer-- 7 0 ably metal lathing, is applied in strips extending from the upper ground 5 to the lower ground 6, the grounds being brought toward each other by loosening the nuts 9, as shown in Fi 'ure 3, and is secured to the grounds in continuous bond by binding strips 13, preferably of angle iron, by nails or screws 14:. The grounds are now drawn against the floor and ceiling by tightening the nuts 9 so as to tautly and uniformly stretch the fabric, which can thus be practically accomplished without danger of tearing or distorting the fabric. It will be understood that the vertical edges of the strips are laced together in the usual man- 5 ner. Horizontal reinforcing strips 15 may also be laced to the fabric if found necessary.

After the wall construction has thus been prepared the cementitious material 16 is applied first to one side of the foundation fabric and then after this has set, the applica tion is made to the other side. During the actual application of the cementitious material to the first side, especially if the wall is of considerable height, it may be necessary to apply temporary braces to the opposite side, the tight and uniform stretching of the fabric will, however, insure a smooth and straight finished wall.

In Figure 3 I have shown a slight modification particularly applicable to fire-proof constructions. In this modification the supports 5 and 6 are replaced by supports 5' and 6 respectively, of less width so as to form grounds for one side only of the wall, the fabric being extended to cover the complete height of the wall and secured at top and bottom by binding strips 17. Auxiliary strips 18 are nailed to the strips 5' and 6' to form grounds for the opposite side of the wall. In all other respects this construction is the same as that above described.

In Figure 4: I have shown an adaptation of my invention to double or hollow walls. In this construction the grounds 5 and 6" are made of greater width than the grounds 5 and 6 and two foundations of fabric strips 12 are used. Of these foundations only one is stretched in the manner above described, after which spacers 19 are placed in position, preferably between reinforced strips 15, so that the spacers may be either continuous, or arranged at intervals. After the spacers are positioned the second founda tion is stretched as effectively as possible and secured by a special binding strip 20 allowing fastening from the outside. While this does not secure as effective stretching of the second foundation as the first, the proper stretching ofthe first together with the use of the spacers makes the structure as a whole a practical and efficient support for the cementitious material.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and. desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with upper and lower supports, of a strip of fabric extending be tween said supports, means for continuously bonding said strip to said supports, means for stretching said strip continuously and uniformly throughout the area of said strip to form a uniform foundation, and plastic material applied to said fabric.

2. The combination with upper and lower supports forming grounds, of fabric extending between said supports, binding strips securing said fabric to said supports, means for moving said supports to stretch the fabric continuously and uniformly throughout the area of said fabric and plastic material applied on said fabric.

3. The combination with upper and lower supports, of bolts passing through said supports, and fabric secured to said supports, said bolts forming means for moving said supports to stretch the fabric, and plas tic material applied on said fabric.

at. The combination with upper and lower supports forming grounds, of bolts passing through said supports, strips of fabric extending between said supports, binding strips securing said fabric to said supports, said .bolts ser 'ing as means to stretrh the fabric, and plastic material applied on said fabric.

5. The combination with upper and lower supports, of fabric extending between said supports and forming a pair of foundations, means for stretching one of said foundations continuously 2nd uniformly throughout its area, spacers extending between said foundations, and plastic material applied on said fabric.

6. T he combination with upper and lower supports forming grounds, of bolts passing through said supports, fabric extending between said supports and forming two foundations one arranged at each side of the bolts, said bolts serving as means to stretch one of the foundations, spacers extending between the foundations, and plastic material applied on said fabric.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this the 9th day of April, 1924.

JESSE W. LEIGH. [ns] 

